For any you folks out there living the “low carb” life and thought you’d never be able to enjoy an empanada again – brace yourself for the goodness! I even had a local friend try these who has been following a keto meal plan for the last year – they totally passed the “yummy” test!
Don’t stop at having these for a treat though. You could get really creative and enjoy them with a savory filling and make a meal out of them. In fact if you’re all in on the low carb/keto train, go crazy and add some cheese!
This is another in a series of low carb Mexican foods that the good folks at Bacon’s Heir asked me to try and come up with. Needless to say, I was so excited to make these happen! Mexican food is one of our love languages, as it is for so many! Knowing that folks who are doing their best to live low carb can still enjoy something like this is really a thrill!
pork panko empanadas (low carb)
gluten and grain free empanadas for that low carb life
Credit: backporchpaleo.com
Ingredients
- empanada
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup Otto’s Cassava Flour
- ¼ cup Bacon’s Heir Pork Panko
- ¾ tsp Redmond Real Salt
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbls organic lard
- 1 egg, room temperature, whisked
- ¼ cup water, room temperature filling
- 6 oz organic raspberries
- 4-6 drops of liquid stevia glycerite (opt)
- pinch of Redmond Real Salt
- pinch of Otto’s Cassava Flour egg wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tblsp raw milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. You will also need 2 – 8″ squares of parchment to facilitate folding the empanada.
- In a medium bowl, add flours, pork panko, salt and cinnamon. Toss with a fork until well combined.
- Add lard to dry ingredients, using your fingers, work in until all lard is well incorporated. Pour in whisked egg and stir together with a small wooden spoon or alternately work in with your fingers until well combined. Pour in water, stirring together with small wooden spoon then work in with your hands to form a nice smooth dough ball. Let it set for 5 minutes covered with plastic.
- Divide dough into 8 balls and place back in bowl keeping covered with plastic.
- Prepare filling by placing raspberries in a small bowl. Add stevia (if using) salt and flour. Toss with a fork so all berries are coated, set aside.
- Take one ball of dough and place between two pieces of parchment. Use a flat bottom plate and press straight down on the dough to form an approximate 4″ small circle, roughly ⅛-⅜” thick. Peel top parchment off, leaving circle on parchment square.
- Place approximately 3-5 raspberries (depends on their size) in the center of the circle of dough. Using the parchment, fold circle in half so edges meet then press to seal. Finish edges as desired and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
- Prepare egg wash, by combining egg yolk and milk in a small cup, whisking til well combined. Carefully brush tops of each empanada with egg wash and cut small slits in the top (so fruit can vent) and bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden and fruit is bubbly.
- Best served warm!
*Approx. 54 total carbs in the whole empanada recipe. 8 empanadas = 6.75 tnc per empanada (depending on filling, carb count may be higher)
